Best Friends

"Come on. I want you to listen to the whole song," John said. I smiled as he got in the driver's seat of my car, and I got in the passenger's side. He turned the car on, and restarted the song from the beginning, driving off after doing so.

I listened with my eyes closed and a smile on my face all the way to the end, and then I looked over at John. He turned the stereo off and glanced over at me.

"Well?" He asked. I laughed.

"You're a dork," I said. He grinned.

"So... when are you leaving?" I asked. His smile faltered, and he pulled over.

"I leave tomorrow. But I told the guys I was going to visit you before we leave," he said. I nodded.

"I wasn't able to tell you... but you're here now. And I know it's three months later, but Drew broke the picture frame the day we got here," I said.

"He did?" John asked. I nodded.

"And he ripped up the picture, but it's alright because my dad had another copy that's still intact. Which..." I trailed off, and I leant up and pulled the visor down in front of John. He looked at me, and I smiled. He pulled the picture out of the visor, and he looked at it.

"My hair was way shorter then," John said with a laugh. I nodded.

"Yeah. John... I've really missed you, and I don't think I can stand being here anymore. My dad is helping me raise enough money to buy an apartment, but I want to go back to Arizona," I said. John tore his eyes away from the picture, and he looked at me.

"Woah, Katie. That's huge," he said. I nodded. He put the picture back, and he shut the visor. He then turned the car around, and he drove me back home.

"Come inside. We can discuss it," I said when he pulled into the driveway. He handed me my car keys, and we both got out. I locked my car, and we headed inside. I led him to the living room where Kyle and Garrett were playing some video games.

"Hey Kyle, guess who's here?" I asked, a huge smile on my face. Kyle paused the game and looked around, his eyes widening.

"Hey kid. How have you been?" John asked. Kyle smiled, but he didn't say anything.

"Where's your dad?" John asked me. I smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him to the kitchen.

"Dad?" I asked. He looked up at me over his glasses, his eyes flicking to John. He smiled.

"John. It's been a while," he said.

"It's good to see you, sir," John said. I led him to the counter, and I cleaned up the mess from the CD. John stared at me with a lazy smile.

"What?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Nothing," he muttered, "it's just that I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I wish I didn't have to leave you here." I glanced at my dad, and I pushed John out of the kitchen, and he followed me into my room. Drew was helping Penelope with some homework, but I was too fixated on John to make them leave.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"If I could take you with me, I would. I have my own apartment back in Arizona. We could make it," he said. I felt my stomach flutter.

"What are you saying, O'Callaghan?" I asked, a hint of a smile on my lips. He smirked.

"Will you move in with me?" He asked. I grinned and threw my arms around him.

"Of course," I said. He squeezed me, and he pressed a kiss against my forehead.

"Great.." he said. I bit my lip, and I pressed a soft kiss against his lips. I pulled him out of my room and back out to the kitchen.

"John, you want to stay for lunch?" My dad asked. John nodded.

"That's good, because it's ready and I have extras. Kids! Lunch is ready!" My dad called. The other four came jogging into the kitchen as John I started to make up our burgers. When I finished with mine, John and I sat down next to each other. Jennifer walked through the door, setting her purse down before walking over to my dad and kissing him.

When everyone was crowded around the table, we all began to eat and make conversation.

"How's the band going, John?" My dad asked. I smiled.

"It's going amazingly. Katie just received her copy of our debut album in the mail today, and we listened to it together earlier. And I leave tomorrow for a tour to promote it," he said. My dad nodded his head.

"That's awesome. I hope everything goes well," my dad said. John thanked him.

"And there's something else. I asked Kate to move in with me... and she said yes," John said. I felt my cheeks redden.

"Yeah. I told him how you are helping me to raise money for an apartment, but that I want to go back to Arizona," I said. My dad eyeballed the both of us.

"We'll talk after lunch," he said. John and I looked at each other, and I nodded.

~~

After lunch, John and I followed my dad out to the garage. He opened up the door, and I pulled a chair up for John to sit in. He took it, and I pulled one up next to him.

"This some kind of dating thing?" My dad asked as he lit up a cigarette.

"Since when did you smoke?" I asked him. He looked at me.

"Oh. About a month after Jennifer and I got married. It's no big deal," he waved it off, and I shook my head.

"No... this isn't some dating thing. We're not together," John said, "I just want to help Katie out. She's my best friend, and I really don't want to go forever without seeing her."

"Sounds to me like a relationship."

"Dad," I said. I glanced at John, then back at my father.

"I hate it here. What John is offering will be good for me. It will get me away from Drew, and I can go back to Arizona," I said. He shook his head.

"Katelynn, you're my little girl. Why won't you just take an apartment here?" He asked. I sighed.

"Because that's not what I want," I said. He shrugged.

"Fine. Go ahead," he said as he put out his cigarette. I smiled and looked at John. I thanked my dad before John and I rushed back inside.

"So, when should I move in?" I asked. John smiled.

"After the tour? I'll come pick you up, and you can forget about your furniture. I've got everything," he said. I smiled.

"Are you suggesting... I road trip?" I asked. John shrugged.

"If you're on, I'm on," he said.

"What about my car?" I asked. John smiled.

"We'll tow it on the back of the van," he said. I laughed and gave him a hug.

When time came for John to leave, I escorted him outside. We walked down to his car, and I watched as he unlocked it.

"Or we could run away together. Live happily ever after on the road.." he trailed off. I smiled.

"That's sweet. But you've got a band. There's no way that would work," I said. He shrugged and pulled in closer as the temperature dropped.

"You better not let me down," I said softly. He grinned.

"Never," he muttered, and he kissed me. After a few seconds, John pulled away and rested his forehead on mine with a sigh.

"Come with me. Right now. Let's just do it," he said. I smiled.

"I can't. My dad will be pissed," I said. He shook his head.

"Who cares. Come with me, Katie. We could get married and you can come with us on the road. Doesn't that sound better than staying here?" He asked. I laughed.

"It's tempting, John, it really is... but I have to finish my schooling. You know that," I said. He shook his head and sat on his hood. I stepped between his legs, and I looked up at him.

"I'm gonna miss you, Katie," he said.

"I know. And I'm going to miss you. Go. I don't want you to be late," I said. He nodded, kissed me one more time, and he got in his car and drove off. I headed back inside.

And maybe if I'd gone with him, things would've turned out differently.